Medical applicator.



PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

' H. HJGROTH. MEDICAL APPLIOATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED DBO. 51,1904.

. elevation of the HANS HEN NERICH GROTH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

' MEDICAL APPLICATOR- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed December 31, 1904. Serial No. 239,228.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, HANS HENNERIOH ROTH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MedicalApplicators, of which the following is a specification. It is the objectof my invention to provide a new and improved medical applicator bywhich disinfectants or medicine may be introduced into and to desirablepoints of sinuses, canals, or openings in the body, whether in the fleshor bone of human beings or animals for the purpose of treating theafected parts directly at their seat of trouble, and my invention willbe readily understood from the following description and claims,-

and from the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevationof myimproved device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front same, partly broken away,with the strands in position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the head endof my improved device, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a front elevationofthe same, partly broken away. Fig. 5 is a top view of the head end ofmy improved device, and Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the handle on theline :20 an of Fig. 2.

A represents a stem upon which there is a head B and which has a handleC, shown as of plate form. The head preferably has a tapering neck D atits connection with the stem. On the head there is a groove 1) acrossits topfrom front to rear and preferably extending up and down alongboth the front and rear of the head and taking along the tapering neckand being arranged, to receive a strand E. This strand or cord ispreferably composed of absorbent fiber and is preferably renderedantiseptic or medicated, as by being saturated or coated with a suitableantiseptic or medicine, dependent on the treatment it is desired to givean affected part, or the strand maybe employed for withdrawing diseasedmatter from the body for diagnosing the disease. If desired, the headmay also be provided with a cross-groove b, taking across the top of thehead and preferably slightly below the groove and extending up and downalong its sides "as well as along the tapering neck for the purpose ofreceiving a second strand F of fiber or cord. The head may be providedwith one or more of said grooves for receiving one or more of saidstrands. As shown in the cross-section of the head with the cordsapplied, it is desirable to have the grooves sufficiently deep toreceive the strands and retain them during application and alsosufficiently shallow so that the strands may extend laterally beyond thehead. The cords are retained in position by being laid longitudinally ofthe stem and held with sufficient tension to avoid their slipping fromthe grooves in the head. For holding the strands I provide the handlewith one or more clips G, which preferably have their ends bentoutwardly, as shown at g, for forming dished plates and forming a widemouth for readily receiving the strands and curving or inclining towardthe handle for clampingly holding the strands. The clips may beseparated from the handle by washers g, and the whole secured togetherby a rivet 9 In using my improved applicator the strand or strands areinserted into the groove or grooves at the head of the applicator and.

temporarily secured to the handle. The head of the applicator, togetherwith the strand or strands, is then introduced into the groove, channel,sinus, canal, or other place it is desired to treat, introducing thestrand or strands to or past the point afiected, the stem and cordsbeing sufliciently long to permit this and still permit the outer endsof the strand or strands to extend from the outer end of the opening,when the outer ends of the strand or strands are released from thehandle and the applicator is withdrawn by a backward movement of thehead, leaving the strand or strands in place to perform their healing orother function. The stem of my improved applicator is of flexible, butresilient material, so that the same may follow the course of the canalor sinus or other part along which it is desired to pass the same. In myimproved applicator a very thin stem and a small head may be employed,and the strands may also be thin, so that undue dilation or injury tothe affected parts may be avoided. My improved applicator insures thatthe medicine shall be applied in any desirable part along the distanceor at the end of a sinus or channel without danger of having themedicine wiped off or removed from the applicator by a previously-passedpart of the channel or sinus. It also insures the application of themedicine to the affected part with less pain to the patient and permitsaffections to be locally treated, which had here toforeto be treatedthrough the introduction of medicine into the stomach of the patient IIOwith its detrimental effects upon parts of the system not previouslyaffected.

My improved device is intended, primarily, for the application ofdisinfectants or medicine but it may also be employed in diagnosingdiseases. Thus the strand may be placed upon the applicator andintroduced into the affected part-such as fistulas, abscesses, or thelike-and the instrument, together with the strand, then removed,bringing to the surface some of the contents of the affected part, whichmay then be subjected to analysis for determining the affection.

The stem, head, and handle of my improved applicator are preferably madeof metal, so that the same may be subjected to boiling water or othertreatment without injury for sterilizing the same.

With my improved device deep Wounds, channels, and sinuses, as well aswounds resulting from penetrating nails, bullet-holes, or the like maybe treated, so as to begin or set up their healing function at the innermost part of the wound, and thereby heal the Wound or other affectionfrom within out wardly for preventing healing of the surface prior tothe healing of the inner part of the wound, and thereby prevent tetanusor other evil results. In my improved device also the medicine appliedremains in the position in which it has been placed until removed, theouter ends of the cords always being so arranged as to protrude from theaffected part, and in dressing the affection the strands are removed bypulling upon the protruding outer ends. My improved device also permitsits employment by the patient himself, however timid, as the instrumentholds the strand in place and the flexible stem permits the head and thelubricated or medicated strand to literally find its proper place, thestrand being temporarily left in the affected part for the absorption ofthe medicine therein by the affected part by the mere Withdrawing of thestem. My improved device fur ther avoids the necessity for enlarginggrooves, channels, or sinuses in order to permit the introduction ofmedicine or dressing and the use of groove-cutters for the purpose andalso avoids the employment of torturing dilating instruments forreaching the affected part or seat of trouble. With my improved device,on the contrary, the healing operation can be begun forthwith and scarsor welts avoided. As illustrating a useful ap plication of my improveddevice it may be stated that besides other diseases it has been usedwith remarkable success in the treatment of strictures, ulcerations ofthe urethra, and other venereal diseases, as the strands, properlycoated, lubricated, or saturated with the proper medicine, can beintroduced into the affected canal for any desired distance by means ofthe flexible stem with its grooved head and the stem and head withdrawnfor leaving the cord in place for performing its healing functionwithout undue dilation of or torturing operation upon the affectedparts. The medicated strand may be allowed to remain in place forperforming its proper dilating or healing function until the patientdesires to void urine, when the strand may be removed by pulling uponthe protruding ends and after so voiding may be renewed by the patienthimself for the purpose of continuing the treatment. My improved deviceis extremely simple and effective and is easily applied;

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a medical applicator having a stem provided with ahead at its extreme outer end, said head having a groove at its extremeouter end for receiving a medicated strand, the outer end of said headand the walls of said groove being rounded for permitting direct contactwith the walls of an affiicted passage without injury to said walls,said medicated strand stationarily positioned upon said head and stemand extending in advance of and lengthwise of said headed stem anddirectly contacting the walls of the passage to be treated throughoutthe length of the insertion thereof during. said insertion, said headconnecting with said stem by means of a sloping neck for permittingwithdrawal of said headed stem from said strand by the backward movementof said headed stem, substantially as described.

2. An improved medical applicator having a flexible stem provided with ahead at the extreme outer end thereof, said head having a groove at itsextreme outer end for receiving a strand and having a sloping neckconnecting it with said stem for permitting withdrawal of said head fromsaid strand by the backward movement of said head, said head havingwalls formed thereon by said grooves, the outer ends and edges of saidwalls being rounded, the outer sides of said collective strands, headand stem directly contacting the wall of the passage being'treated, saidstrands extending in advance of said headed stem, and means at the otherend of said stem for stretching said strand exposedly in fixed positionagainst longitudinal movement along said stem during application of saidstrand to the affected part, substantially as described. 3. An improvedmedical applicator having aflexible stem provided with a head at theextreme outer end thereof, said head having a plurality of grooves atits extreme outer end for receiving aplurality of strands and havingsloping neck connecting it with said stem for permitting withdrawal ofsaid head from said strands by the backward movement of said head, theouter end of said head being rounded, said strands being looped in thesaid grooves and extending in advance of and lonlength, a plate at theother end of said stem, and clips on said plate for temporarily holdingsaid strands in fixed position against longitudinal movement along saidstem during application of said strand to the affected part, saidcollective stem, head and strands directly contacting the wall of thepassage being treated, all substantially as and for the purposespecified.

4. In combination, in a medical applicator, of a stem A provided with anenlarged head B at one of its extreme outer ends, said head avingcrossing grooves b 6 across its extreme outer end and along its sides,the said head and the Walls of said grooves being rounded at all theirouter portions, a tapering neck D being located between said head andstem for permitting withdrawal of said head and stem from strands insaid grooves, a handle 0 of plate form at the other end of said stem, adished clip G at each side of said handle, a washer g between each ofsaid clips I and said handle, and a rivet g taking through said clips,washers and handle for securing the same together and forming clampingmeans for said strands, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name hereto in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HANS HEN NERICH GROTH.

